Flexible conveyer



Nov. 22, 1927. 1,650 037 H. PHILLIPS ET AL FLEXIBLE!` CONVEYER Original Filed Nov. 1, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet l 1mi 'iff Nov. 22, 1927. 1,650,037

A H. PHILLIPS ET AL FLEXIBLE CONVEYER H. PHILLIPS .ET A1.

FLEXIBLE CONVEYER Original Filed Nov. 1, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nov. 22, 1927. 1,650,037

H. PHILLIPS ET AL FLEXIBLE CQNVEYER Original Filed Nov. 1, 1923 i 4 Shee'ts-Sheetl Patented N ov. 22, 1927.

UNITED STATES AmiTlsNT ePrice.-

HENRY IPHILLIPS,'OF OTTMWA, AND WILLIAM E. HUNT, DECEASED, LATE OF 'OT- TUMWA, IOWA, BY JOSEPHINE HUNT, ADMINISTRATRIX, OF OTTUMWA, IOWA; SAID HENRY PHILLIPS AND WILLIAM E. HUNT ASSIGNORS TO OTTUMWA :BOX CAR LOADER COMPANY, OF OTTUMWA, IOWA, A CORPORATION-OF IOWA. I

FLEXIBLE CON VEYER.

Substitute for application Serial No. 672,166, filed November 1, 1923. This application iled January 25, v

' Serial No. Y83,697.

The present invention relates to improve-l ling or transporting Larticles or objects of various kinds from one pointto another, incident to the loading of the same into or the unloading thereof from railway box cars, steamships or other transportation vehicles, the transfer of articles or objects of various kinds into or out of warehouses and the like, the conveying of articles or objects from one pile to another and for a variety of other uses, it being particularly useful 1n situations where the ordinary straight or rigid conveyer is unsuitable.

To accomplish these results the conveyer, according to the present invention, is flexible so that it may be bent, curved or otherwise shaped and thus caused to assume variy ous forms to accommodate itrto the different paths of travel of the Varticles or objects as may be required or determined by the Varlous situations in which the conveyer-is used.

Also, the conveyer, in its preferred embodiment, is portable to enable it to be easily and quickly placed in position for use 1n a variety of situations. Furthermore, the conveyer is so constructed that it will efficiently guide and conduct the articles or objects along its length without danger ofthe same dropping therefrom, the construction of the conveyer being such that it acts automatically to retain the articles or objects thereon and to guide the same so that they will be properly advanced along the conveyer, irre; spective ofthe curvature or other shape which the conveyer may be caused to assume.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations and arrangements of parts,l all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the j features of novelty being pointed out particularly in the claims at the end Aof the specification.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is atop plan view of a Asection or portion of a portable flexible conveyer constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the conveyer in top plan showing an example of a form which the conveyer may assume and illustrating the manner in whichthe articles or objects are maintained on and advanced along the conveyer, notwithstanding thecurve or curvatures thereof;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic viewV showing a portion of the conveyer inl bent or curved form and' illustrating the action of the conveyer rollers in guiding and maintaining the articles or yobjects on the conveyer and for advancing them; Y

Figure 5 is a detail view in side elevation of the joint between adjacent sections ofthe conveyer, the full and dotted lines indicating the. different angularpositions in a vera Vsection taken axially through one of the roller elements and its driving means;

F1gure7 represents a section on the line 7-7 ofFig. 6;v -1

Figures 89 and `10are detail'views show-y ing supplemental idler rollers which maybe interposed between the inner ends of the. component sections of each conveyer roller to support small articles or objects when such are being handled; Figure 11 represents a longitudinal, vertical section through a portion of the conveyer embodying the present invention and equipped with a modified form of driving connection between the conveyer. rollers;

Figure 12 represents a transverse section through the structure shown in Figure 11 on thefline 12-12; and f Figures 13 and 14 are detail views of the driving chain showing diagrammatically the lateral flexibility thereof toaccommodate it to lateral bending or flexing of the conveyer. Similar parts are designatedby the same reference characters in the several views.

The present invention provides a conveyer which is applicable to a variety of uses where articles or objects, such as boxes, sacks, packages, bricks, slabs or the like are to be conveyed or transported from pointto [ture adjacent v to the car.

furthermore, the opposite end of the conf veyer may require bending to bringl it into substantial parallelifsn'i With a loading plat form along one side of the car or tov extendit into a Warehouse, factory or other struc- A conveyer 'capable of meeting` these conditions and a variety of other conditions Where the usual conveyer of fixed form is unsuitable, is 'shown in the accompanying` drawings and 'will be hereinafter 'described in detail. It is t0 be understood, however, that the inven- 4tionis not restricted to the particular con- "struction shown, as equivalent constructions are contemplated and such Will beincluded Wfthin the scope of the claims.

ln the present instance, the conveyer com prises plurality of sections, one of which is sliou'n in Figures l and il, the number of sections ued depending upon the length of the conveyer. Each conveyer section embodies a main or supporting member l, con ve; rollers 2 supported thereon and over which the articles or objects are adapted to travel, driving` means' for causing' the conveyer rollers to revolve in unison and at uniform speed and suitable supporting` means 3. The member l is ilexible transversely, it consisting, for example, 0f a strip of flexible or Vresilient. steel Which is capable of being bent or curved in a direction transversely of the length o'f the conveyer, inordcr to shape the conveyer tosuit the requirements of any sitnations in which the conveyer is used,the laterally flexible strip or member l being so arrauffg'cdtliat it stands edgrcwise in a vertical direction. rlie supporting` means 3 comprises preferably lens vwhich are secured to the member l and preferably carry rollers l to facilitate movement of the conveyer from place to place. These 'rollers imay advantageously be of the caster type sortliat they Will automatically accommodate themselves to movement ofthe conveyer', or the portion of the conveyer to which they are attached, 'in any direction.

The `conveyer rollers 2 are mounted on the same 'plane as the member 1 of the respective conveyer section and these rollers are supported on the laterally flexible member lat intervals in its length. Furthermore, the conveyer' rollers are spaced apart at suitable intervals longitudinally of the conveyer. Therefore, when the member l of the conveyer fl'eXes or bends laterally incident to Vbending 'or curving` of the conveyer, the axes of the lconveyer rollers Will assume correspending angular relations, as, for example, is shown in Figures 3 and 1l. lntermediate idler rollers 5 may be interposed between the conveyerl rollers and' arranged on the same v level therewith in order to vbridge rthe spaces between the conveyer rollers and thus prevent dropping or lodging; of small articles or objects between the conveyer rollers, these idler rollers beinel mount-ed on brackets 6 which are secured to the laterally flexible member l at" points between the respective pairs of conveyer rollers. rElie idler rollers,

however, are preferably shorter than the' conveyer rollers so that they will not touch Vthe adjacent conveyer rollers when the conveyer is bent or curved on a short radius. Also, supplemental'idler rollcrs'a, a-s shown in Figures 8, 9 and Yl0, maybe interposed between the inner ends of the component secthe members l of the conveyer sections are joined by a plate 7 which may be fixed to one of the sections l by the rivets or bolts 8 and pivotally connected to the other iiember l by 'a bolt 9 or the like which serves as a pivot which permits afhinginn act-ion between the members l of the adjacent conveyer sections,

as indicated diagrammatically in Fig'. 5, thus enabling; the conveyer to accommodate itself to unevenness in the ground Vor supports on Whicl it rests. The adjacent ends l0 of the membersl are preferably bevelled, as shown, in order to provide ample clearances for the relative hingingmovement between the membersl of the adjacent conveyer section.

rllie conveyer rollers are iriXed on the laterally flexible member i by Vsuitable brackets ll. rChe rollers may be constructed and driven in different Ways, whereby the entire series ofconveyingv rollers ivi-ll be driven inV unison and the driving' means'ivill accomn'iodate itself to lateral sending' orfflening' of the conveyer. lt. is preferablehowever, to construct each roller in sections 12 Which are fixed to the respective ends of el shaft 13 which projects from the opposite sides of a casing; ll, the shaft beine; supported in the casing' ill by suitable bearingsV l5, ball bearings or other `anti-fiiction bearings being generallypreferable and the casinnllfl Vis preferably split but clamped together by bolts i6, and the bracket portions l1 which are formed on the lower portions ot the casing straddling` the upper 4.edge of the lateralllll ly flexible member 1 and being firmly secured thereto by suitable means such as bolts 17. The driving means for the conveyer rollers may be constructed in different ways. As

shown in the present instance a spiral gear` 18 is fixed on each conveyer roller shaft 13 at or near its center and this gear meshes with a similar driving gear 19 which is arranged beneath it and keyed orotherwise fixed to a driving shaft 20." The driving shaft 2O extends through the Vcasing 14 and is supported therein by su'itablebearings 21, ball bearings or other suitable anti-friction bearings being preferably used which arel held in place by the clamping together of the sections of the casing 14. The casing 14 is preferably oil tight so that it is adapted to contain a lubricant for the gears and bearings. The driving shafts 2 0 for the different conveyer rollers extend longitudinally of the conveyer and they are connected to one another in such a way that they may be driven in unison, notwithstanding-that the conveyer may be bent or curved laterally, thus causing the axes of 'the shaft-s 2O to be out of alignment. For example, a well known form of knuckle type universal joint 22 may be connected toieachend of each shaft 20, the universal joints of the adjacent shafts being connected'by driving` bars 23; or lengths of chain 24, eachhaving a suitable number of links, may be attached Ato couplings 25 threaded on or otherwise fixed to the ends of the shafts 20 or flexible rope or cable or other flexible connections may be employed. In either case, an uninterrupted driving connection will `be maintained throughoutthe series of shafts 20, the connections between these shafts accommodating themselves tovariations inthev angular relationship between the-vshafts20 incident to lateral flexing or bending of the member 1. Moreover, by locating the driving shafts 20 and their driving connections in the same plane with the member 1, or substantially so, the. conveyer may be flexedorbent laterally in either direction with-out varying the distance between the adjacent shafts 20 to a material extent. the longitudinal shafts 20 for the series of conveyer rollers on each conveyer section will be joined by universal joints of any suitable type, such as one or the other of those above described and that the driving` shafts 20 on the terminals of adjacent conveyer sections will be. similarly joined. Power may be applied in anysuitable way. For example` an electric motor 26 or a gasoline engine or other motive power may be employed for the purpose, it being convenient to mount the motor on the member 1 of the conveyer, by a suitable bracket 27 and to drive the end shaft 20 by a belt l28 which cooperates with sprockets 29 and 30 on the motor shaft and the shaft 2O respectively. One motor may It will be understood that Y be used 'to drive the entire series of conveying rollers throughout the length of the conveyer, or if desired a plurality of driving motors may be installed at different points in the length of the conveyer.

Instead of driving the conveyer rollers by longitudinal shafts having flexible connections therein, as hereinbefore described, other driving means may be employed for these rollers. For example, in- Figures 11 to 14 inclusive, Va chain 2On 'is shown for the purpose." This chain mayA be of any suitable type which is capable of bending to a sufficient degree in a lateral or edgewise direction, as is indicated diagrammatically in Figure 13,'a link chainof a common well known form being therein shown.` In using a chain drive for the conveyer rollers, the shaft 13of each 'roller -has a sprocket wheel 19a fixed thereon preferablyat a point midkway between the component sections of the roller and the shaft 13 of each kroller may be extended at its ends and supported by ex- ''eriorly arranged brackets 14, the latter be'- ing secured to the opposite sides of the long-i- -tudnally-extending laterally flexible member 1. The chain 20l extends longitudinally of the conveyer and it preferably lies in the same verticalV plane with and islocated above the member 1. The chain may be driven continuously by an electric motor, gasoline engine or any other suitable source of m0- tive power. The upper stretch of the longitudinally extendingchain meshes with the sprocket wheels 19@L on the 4shafts of the respective conveyer rollers and the travelling movement of the chain is transmitted to the conveyer rollers, causing the latter to be driven in unison kin the same direction and at the same speed. A guide 20b may belocated between adjacent conveyer rollers to guide those portions of the chain which span the space between them, and guides 2()c may be located beneath the yrespective sprocket wheels to guide the lower stretch of the chain as it passes beneath the sprocket wheels. These guides 2Ob and 2OC v`may be supported on the laterally flexible member 1, as shown. In using a chain drive for the conveyer'rollers, the` latter operate in substantially the same way as hereinbefore described with respect tothe longitudinal flexible shaft drive. Lateral flexing or bending of the conveyer to accommodate it to different situations or uses may take place without interfering with the correct operation of the chain, as the latter possesses sullicient I looseness in its pivots oroth'er lateral flexibility to enable it to bend or flex to conform with the bending or flexing of the conveyer, as is indicateddiagrammatically in Figure 13, the guides 2Ob and 20c serving to control or position the chain so that it maintains proper cooperative relationship with the sprocket wheels.

` the article so that it will te By mounting the series ot conveyer rollers 2 on the laterally-bendable or flexible meinber 1, the axes ot these rollers will be caused to assume angular positions convergent inwardly toward the center or inside ot the bend or cui-ve in the conveyer. in consequence, when an article or object travelling `along the conveyer reaches such angularly or convergently arranged rollers, the roller on which the forward portion et the article rests will act to shift this portion ot the article inwardly or toward the inner side oic the curve inthe conveyer while the roller in rear thereof will act to swing the rear end of the article outwardly or toward the outer side of the curve in the conveyer, thereby turning l e a curved path conforming with the curvature ot the conveyer. This action will take place autoniatically irrespective oi' the direction in which the conveyer is bent or flexed, and, moreover,this act-ion will occur, iirst in one rection and then in another direction when the conveyer has a reverse curve or curves therein, as shown, for example, in Figure 3. This automatic guiding or the articles or objects bythe action of the conveyer rollers can be obtained by the use ot conveyer rollers .which are cylindrical, or substantially so, in form, and it is to be understood that such rollers are comprehended within the scope of this invention. It is generally preferable to employ conveyer rollers which are tapered so that they iiare or increase in diameter to- .ward the respective sides oiu the conveyer and having ilanges projecting from their peripheries at or adjacent to their outer ends. Such rollers are shown in the present instance, the section 12 of each ioller being tapered so that it flares or increases in diameter toward its outer end, and provided with a circumferential ilange12'LL at or adjacent 'to its outer end, the component sections ot each roller being` assembled so that the tapers .tlieieoi"-aie in opposite or reverse relation. vBy tapering the conveyer rollers as above describedv` the action of the rollers tending to .swing or turn theiarticles or objects and thus direct them in the proper course is augmented, as compared with cylindrical rollers, particularly when the articles or objects lie on the conveyer toward the end thereoil which is Vat the outer side ot a bend or curve therein, and hence the articles or objects will receive suilicient action from the rollers to compel them to followV the direction of run or the conveyer; and furthermore, by arranging the tapers or flares oi the component sections of the rollers in reverse relation, an automatic ccntering action is produced by the rollers on the articles or objects which serves to maintain the latter in a course located about midway between the longitudinal sides of the conveyer, the tapers or flares on the opposite ends of the rollers acting in opposition to each other to maintain the articles or objects centered between the sides ot the conveyer.

The flanges on the outer ends oic the conveyer rollers serve as abutiiients to prevent lateral displacement of the articles o'r objects from the conveyer, especially at the bends or curves therein. It is to be understood that when the conveyer is in operation, the entire series of conveyer rollers in each section may be driven continuously at unil'orin speed and in the .same direction by their longitudinal driving shafts, the articles or objects resting c on these rollers being thus propelled alongk the conveyer, the connections between the forms, such asboxes, packages, sacks, bricks,

slabs, boards and planks, aswell as objects et various kinds, the articles or objects being conducted with certainty along the conveyer, notwithstanding that the conveyer may have one or more lateralbends therein in order to accommodate it t'o the conditions or requirements of tlie situation in which it is used, and that the conveyer may be inclined upwardly or downwardly at diierent inclinations, the driving means' in the latter case acting to control the descent of the articles or objects under the influence of gravity.

ln the present instance,l the conveyor, as shown, embodies means for driving the conveyer rollers, but it is to be understood that the -invention also comprehends a .conveyer in which the conveyer rollers are not driven butact as idlers to support and guide articles or objects as they travely along the con veyer, in which case the driving means torV the rollers will be omitted the movement oi the articles or objects along the conveyer be.- ing1 affected by gravity, pushingv by hand or in any other suitable way. In either case, however, the conveyer rollers will act'to properly guide and conduct the articles or objects along the conveyer and they will accommodate themselves to lateral bends of any Jrorm in the conveyer.

This application is a .substitute oriapplication Serial No. 672,166 tiled jointly Nov-- ember 1, 1923, by Henry Phillips and wWilliam E. Hunt.

1. A conveyer comprising a supporting member capable o'fbeing bent laterally, a series otl conveyer rollers mountedy at intervals along the length of said member and adapted to assume different angular rela-Y tions in conformity with the Jr'orm *oiE said member, and means for driving said rollers rollers fixedl on said member at different` points in its length whereby the axes of said rollers Will be capableV of assuming different angular' relations in conformity .With lateral bending ot said member, and means for driving the series of conveyer rollers in unison, said means extending longitudinally of the conveyer and embodying connections between the rollers Which compensate for lateral HeXing of said member. n

4. A conveyer comprising a longitudinally extending vertically rigid, laterally flexible strip which constitutes a supportingmember, a series of conveyer rollers iXed on said strip at intervals in its length and having their aXesarranged transversely of said strip, the axes of the rollers accommodating themselves to lateral bending of the strip,

and driving means for the rollers extending Y longitudinally of the conveyer substantially in the same vertical plane with said strip and embodying driving connections between the rollersy Which compensate for lateral flexing of the strip. e

5. A conveyer comprising a longitudinally extending laterally-bendable supporting member, a series of brackets iixed on said member at intervals yin its length, a

lseries'ot conveyer rollers each embodying' roller sections mounted at opposite sides of the respective bracket, the sections of each roller being connected to revolve in unison, and means for -driving the series of rollers in unison. y

6. A conveyer comprising a longitudinal supporting member, a series of bearing brackets mounted thereon at intervals in its length, a shaft journaled in each bracket and projecting from the opposite sides thereof,

Vroller sections fixed to the respective ends of each shaft, a driving shaft/journaled in each bracket and operatively connected t0 the roller shaft, and driving Aconnections bef tween the ends of the driving shafts.

7. A conveyer comprising a plurality 0f sections joined end to end by pivoted joints' Which allow adjacent Vsections to assume different angular relations in its vertical plane, each section being laterally flexible and embodying a series of conveyer rollers the axes of which are variable in the horizontalplane f to conform with lateral flexingof said Sece` tion.

HENRY PHILLIPS.

y e JOSEPHINE HUNT,

Admz'tz'stmtrz' of the Estateof William E.

Hunt, Deceased. e 

